Jaap Stam slams four Man Utd stars for ‘walking’ in Man City loss – ‘it was easy for them today’

Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has hit out at four Red Devils stars who contributed to making it “easy” for Manchester City at Old Trafford.

It is hardly surprising that Stam did not mince his words about Man Utd‘s performance in Sunday’s 1-0 home loss to 10-man Man City at Old Trafford.

Michael Carrick‘s side made a bright start to the match, but they declined after Phil Foden got sent off for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes, while Man City took their play to another level.

Erling Haaland’s winning goal should have been ruled out, but it is hard to argue that Man City did not deserve to beat Man Utd.

And Stam has hit out at his former side for making it “easy” for Man City “even with ten men”.

“If you look at City and if you look at this game, it was easy for them today, even with ten men,” Stam told Viaplay.

“I was asking myself as well: the United team coming off the pitch, what are they thinking? Would they be thinking they’ve done everything that they can? Is that it?

“Even in playing it out from the back, it was easy, one-two, keep the ball a little bit longer at your feet, somebody else is taking up different positions. You play it, make a little one-two, you’re out and they can go and attack.

“Against ten men, even if it’s City with the quality that they have, you would expect United to be on the front foot every time, to be very, very aggressive, even the strikers tracking back.

“Then, of course, and that’s a very important thing as well. If you have possession and they are dropping a little bit deeper, use the side, use the width of the game a little bit, put crosses in the box.

“But now sometimes, you feel like when they’re playing, there’s not a real idea in how to get to opportunities and how to make it difficult for the opposition to score goals.”

“They’re just walking…”

Stam also hit out at Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha after they were guilty of “walking” in the build-up to Haaland’s winner for Man City.

“It’s a long ball, they win it, City takes over and look at the front four [of United]. They’re just walking, they’re just looking at the situation,” Stam added.

“A team that really wants to win, the strikers, it’s about all the 11, it’s about chasing.

“Against ten men, it’s about tracking back, it’s about winning battles.

“From then on, you keep possession, you go out in transition and then you try to create and score goals.”